How to Avoid Getting Hurt While in a Vehicle

Staying Safe on Your Next Road Trip

Getting into a car accident is never something that a person puts on their calendar. However, when one does occur, it can result in chronic pain or other long-term consequences. The good news is that there are steps that you can take to protect yourself from harm while in a car or truck.

Wear Your Seat Belt

Roughly half of those who die in a car crash are killed because they weren’t wearing a seat belt. Despite the myths that some sources perpetrate, you are not more likely to be harmed in an accident because you are restrained by a safety belt. Instead, it can keep you from being thrown out of a vehicle or launched into the front seat from the rear of the vehicle.

Don’t Drive While Impaired

Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can significantly increase your risk of getting into an accident. This is because your reaction time is slower than when you are sober. You may also have an inability to pay attention to your surroundings or process them while drunk or high. It is also never a good idea to drive when you are tired. If you have slept for less than four out of the last 24 hours, your level of impairment is similar to someone who is legally drunk.

Compensation May Be Available in a Car Crash

If you are injured in a car accident caused by another driver, a personal injury attorney may be able to help protect your rights. Injured accident victims are generally entitled to a financial award to pay medical bills and other costs. This may be true even if you were the passenger in a vehicle that caused an accident resulting in injuries to occur.